


Fishing for Compliments

by Spammy_Wits



Series: It's a Figure of Speech [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, platonic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 17:05:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10495590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spammy_Wits/pseuds/Spammy_Wits
Summary: "You don't know? How can you not know?! Was it never intentional? I thought..." with a few steps backwards she realized that he was trying to avoid this conversation but she wasn't about to let him; whatever this was it needed to be addressed right then and there.





	

She was at a loss of what to do being suddenly pulled away from the classroom by the lanky teenager, who was by any means preventing her from escaping. At a quick pace, they made their way across the Seine before he stopped walking.

 

He kept his head hanging low, maintaining his grip around her hand but not daring to turn around.

 

"What is this about, Adrien? Are you okay?" she was pretty concerned and voiced it accordingly. Her typical stutter gone for good, as time went by their little friendship became something solid; she no longer blurted out embarrassing stuff or ran away like a frightened bunny. Her confidence was at an all-time high thanks to this. So you can imagine her surprise when he started acting weird as soon as she starts acting normal. Her classmate looked at her from the corner of his eye opening and closing his mouth back trying to come up with a way to breach a sensitive topic. Finally hardening his jaw he stood firmly in front of her, keeping his eyes tightly closed.

 

"Is it because I'm boring? Or did you figure out that I'm just a dumb blonde? A spoiled rich brat? Did I do something that made me look lame? Do you think I'm a loser now? Or annoying? Did I do something wrong? Please tell me!"

 

"Wait, what!? What do you mean? What is this? I'm not understanding! Why would you say such awful things about yourself?" Marinette was baffled. Which in turn made him look shocked.

 

"You don't know? How can you not know? Was it never intentional? I thought..." with a few steps backwards she realized that he was trying to avoid this conversation but she wasn't about to let him; whatever this was it needed to be addressed right then and there.

 

"Hey, calm down... You know I'm the last person to make fun of someone for making assumptions. Can you tell me what it is you were trying to confront me about? " getting closer, she offered him her open palms. She wasn't about to get mad and he should know that already, know her. They were friends!

 

Seeing no way out, he started fidgeting and rubbing at his neck. He made it a point to avoid her gaze, looking everywhere but her.

 

"It's not that big of a deal. Really! It's just that you used to say really nice things about me when we spoke... And you stopped doing it without a reason, I thought it was a one-time thing or that you were distracted but then the whole week went by and you haven't said any compliment to me..."

 

"What?!"

 

"Please let me finish. Oh, this is really embarrassing, but you're one of the only people that say nice things to me. So, whenever I needed a pick-me-up it became a routine to go to you for a chat." he looked at her bashfully before letting out a giggle. "I'm sure you've noticed by now but I don't have that much self-esteem so when you stopped doing it... I just assumed that I was not that good anymore. I remember you once even said I was the best at 'holding things'? Quite far-fetched but it really made my day. I just brought you here to ask you, why?"

 

Dumbfounded, she gaped for a while before coming back to her senses. She could see a couple with their kid not too far from them, a flock of pigeons hanging around the bridge and the reflection of the sun in the water. The boy in front of her made little kicking motions to the ground, not really expecting an answer.

 

"I am deeply, truly sorry. I always thought that it confused you when I did that... Maybe I can explain it like a... Umm how should I call it?... Oh yeah, a nervous quirk. That's what it was, I just kept blurting the most strange things... Maybe you just listened to the compliments only? Maybe that's what happened!"

 

"...I take it you didn't do it on purpose? So, you didn't really mean any of those nice things?"

 

"That's not- Of course I meant it! You are nice, and cool, and great, and anything I ever said to you! I stopped because I no longer feel nervous when we talk! If you wanted some praise you could have said so, you know?

 

"Is that true...?" His whole stance brightened then, his bony frame tightening like a spring about to jump to unknown places. "Does that mean we are better friends now!? That! That's amazing! So we can go out like I do with Nino? Can we?!"

 

The sudden giddiness made her melt inside, so she enveloped him in her arms with fondness.

 

"Of course we can, Adrien. Hanging out with you would be so much fun."

 

"And… Can I fish for compliments?"

 

"Anytime."

**Author's Note:**

> I think that'd be his reaction if Marinette ever gets comfortable with him. Since the Evillustrator episode I head canon that he has selective hearing with Marinette and only gets the good parts of what she's saying.
> 
> In other news, I have a real bad tendinosis so I started writing with speech to text apps, seems like it turned out just fine but tell me if you spot an error! Spammy out!


End file.
